Midland Public Schools budget cuts to be discussed tonight

Published 6:34 am, Monday, May 2, 2011

Budgeting for the next two years in the Midland Public Schools district will be the focus of a public forum at Central Middle School auditorium at 6:30 p.m. tonight.

School officials will talk about the K-12 funding cuts proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder and legislators that could mean an additional $13.5 million in spending cuts for the district during the next two years.

In a meeting last week, MPS Finance Director Linda Cline presented a list of possible reductions totaling $11.8 million, with the largest single chunk coming from teacher wage concessions of 11 percent, which would reduce district costs by $5.8 million.

Other possible cuts presented included: cutting out all transportation except for special-needs students, which can't be eliminated because it is required by law; increasing class sizes; eliminating the seventh hour of instruction; eliminating middle school counselors; cutting out career technical education (CTE); privatizing building managers and cutting out all curriculum support positions.

Athletics would be trimmed significantly, with a proposal to eliminate the "net cost" -- the funds actually provided by MPS to support athletics (estimated at $560,000 in the 2011-12 school year).

Cline said Snyder's plan would result in a $10.9 million gap between expenditures and revenues; the current plan being discussed in the Senate would cause a $10.2 million shortfall; and the House proposal would mean an $11.2 million shortfall.

Officials talked to teachers and administrative personnel last Thursday in a close meeting, and a Power Point presentation of the financial situation will be posted to the MPS website.

There also will be a public comment period at 6 p.m. May 9, just before the regular board meeting at the MPS Administration Center.

MPS Superintendent Carl Ellinger said the next six to seven weeks are a "critical time" in devising a budget for the next two years. The MPS board must approve a budget by June 30, regardless of whether state officials have firmed up their budget plans.